On the occasion of the official visit of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, the Brazilian Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry Association (UNICA) joined a high-level business mission to India in February. The mission was organized by ApexBrasil and UNICA’s participation is part of the Sugarcane Ethanol Project.
The agenda highlighted Brazil’s globally recognized expertise in the production and use of ethanol—a successful model that has delivered decarbonization, energy security, and rural development for decades. The visit also created an opportunity to further consolidate Brazil–India cooperation as a leading reference for the energy transition in the Global South, while expanding collaboration into new renewable frontiers such as biomethane, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and bio-based marine fuels.
Brazil–India Partnership on Ethanol Gets Stronger
At the Brazil–India Business Forum in New Delhi on February 19, biofuels emerged as a powerful example of what international cooperation can achieve. During a panel on collaboration in biofuels and energy transition pathways, Evandro Gussi, CEO of UNICA, expressed the strategic importance of the partnership between Brazil and India in advancing sustainable biofuels and accelerating the global energy transition.
“India can be an example for other countries around the world. This is the power of partnership, and we are ready to move forward together,” Gussi said.
The results of this cooperation are already tangible. Over the past decade, collaboration between the two countries has helped support India’s rapid expansion of ethanol blending in gasoline, reaching nearly 20%. This progress represents a measurable and scalable step toward decarbonization, while strengthening energy security and rural development.
The Forum brought together public authorities and business leaders committed to deepening bilateral cooperation, strengthening bioenergy value chains, and unlocking new opportunities for investment and innovation.
MoU signed with Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association
Another important milestone in this growing partnership was marked during the visit with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UNICA and the Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA).
The agreement establishes a formal platform for technical and institutional cooperation in the sugar and bioenergy sectors, with a strong focus on advancing sustainable solutions that contribute to both decarbonization and food security.
The MoU also outlines several areas for collaboration, including knowledge exchange and capacity building, technological cooperation and innovation, coordination in international forums, and joint initiatives in biofuels—such as ethanol, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), biogas, and other low-carbon energy solutions.
